Landscaping

Good landscaping will increase the value of your home, enhance your enjoyment, and boost energy efficiency. Correctly positioned trees and shrubs can save up to 25% on your heating and cooling costs, and pay dividends in fewer greenhouse gas emissions. (1)

Here are some tips for landscaping around new and existing homes:

Plant evergreen trees on the north side of the house to slow winter winds. (2)

Plant deciduous trees (7-9 m) on the south and west sides to provide shade in summer and sun in winter. Place trees 4.5-6 metres from the house.

Plant shrubs around the foundation to help insulate in winter. Make sure they’re at least 60 cm from the foundation.

Plant shrubs on the east, west and south sides of an air conditioner unit to provide shade and reduce its workload.

Vines on trellises can help insulate walls in winter and provide shade in summer. (3)

A low retaining wall on the north side will act as a windbreak. (4)

Shelterbelts, (in rural areas) consisting of one or more rows of strategically planted trees around the edge of a property, can significantly reduce heating costs. They not only cut wind and moderate the microclimate around the shelterbelt, but also remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. (5)